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PAGE 4B November 2025
Tennessee Softball Signs Five For Class of 2026 University of Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly has added five signees for the program's 2026 recruiting class. The newest Lady Vols include Halle Bailey, Maggie Krause, Amani Mcfield, Bailee Shelton and Avary Stockwell. Rated the No. 5 class by D1Softball and No. 6 by On3/Softball America, three of the Lady Vols' signees are featured in the top 30 On3 rankings for the class of 2026. Stockwell is 17th overall in the nation and places No. 2 at her position and No. 1 in the state of Tennessee. Shelton comes in at No. 25 nationally, eighth at her position and No. 2 in Tennessee, while Bailey is the 27th- ranked prospect in the country, No. 11 at her position and No. 3 in the Volunteer State. "In the 2026 class, we targeted a LHP and position players who brought athleticism and versatility to the program," Weekly said. "We feel like we hit the jackpot. These young ladies are the perfect fit for the Lady Vol softball culture and the style of softball we want to play. Most importantly, they are exceptional students and committed to being the best versions of themselves far beyond the softball field. We can't wait to get them on campus." Seven to be inducted into Tennessee Hall of Fame The University of Tennessee has announced the 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class, which honors seven former student-athletes and two coaches for their significant contributions. The class will be honored in Knoxville on April 10-11, celebrating their impact on UT Athletics. The 2026 class includes five Vols and four Lady Vols. • Rod Delmonico, Baseball • Shyra Ely, Women’s Basketball • Lawrence Johnson, Men’s Track and Field • Chris Lofton, Men’s Basketball • Erica Popson, Women’s Golf • Charles Rosenfelder, Football • Kylee Rossi, Soccer • Brenda Webb, Women’s Track and Field • Ralph Weekly, Softball "Tennessee Athletics boasts a rich history of success and excellence. This new group of Hall of Fame inductees embodies everything that makes our Vols and Lady Vols remarkable," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. "These former standout student- athletes and coaches have elevated the standards in their respective sports, and we take great pride in welcoming this exceptional class into the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame." The 2026 Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame weekend will be April 10-11. FIND MORE SPORTS ONLINE AT www.thesportsledger.com The UAB football team sustained a 53-24 loss to North Texas on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at Protective Stadium. North Texas true freshman Caleb Hawkins set a school record with five rushing touchdowns and finished the game with 27 carries for 189 yards. Two early turnovers for the Blazers (3-7, 1-5 American) saw UAB get down 21-0 early in the first and they were unable to recover despite having 478 yards of offense. North Texas (9-1, 5-1 American) finished with 506 total yards. Running Back Jevon Jackson (16 carries for 159 yards) and Brandon Hawkins Jr. (six catches for 127 yards, TD) were standouts for UAB on offense. Hawkins Jr. set a career high in receiving yards while scoring a touchdown in three straight games. The Blazers are back in action next Saturday, November 22, 2025 at Birmingham's Protective Stadium against South Florida. The UAB football program has announced changes to its f uture football schedule, which includes opening the 2026 season at Illinois and hosting Samford at Protective Stadium both in 2026 and 2027. In the first meeting between the two programs, UAB and Illinois will square off on Sept. 5, 2026 in Champaign. Meanwhile, the Blazers will no longer open the season at home against Alabama A&M on Sept. 3, which has opened the door to play Samford in consecutive seasons. Those matchups are set for October 3, 2026 and September 25, 2027. The game at Illinois marks UAB’s first contest against a Big Ten team since 2012 at Ohio State and will be just the fifth time ever playing a team from the Big Ten. The matchup against UAB finalizes Illinois' 2026 nonconference schedule, which includes games against Duke (Sept. 12) and Southern Illinois (Sept. 19). The Fighting Illini's three nonconference games will all be played at Gies Memorial Stadium. The remainder of Illinois' 2026 schedule will be announced at a later date. The Big Ten previously announced that Illinois would host Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, and Purdue in 2026, with road trips scheduled to Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, and UCLA. UAB and Samford have met just once on the gridiron which was a Samford victory back in 1992. UAB falls to North Texas UAB Football Adds Illinois and Samford to future schedules
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Members of the State Championship Cherokee County Volleyball team pose for a picture during the REV Physical Therapy & Sports Performance Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, November 4, 2025. The Warriors recently won the Class 4A State Volleyball Championship.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Alexandria Varsity Cheerleaders
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Plainview Varsity Cheerleaders
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